George Clooney hosted a star studded campaign event for President Obama in his Laurel Canyon mansion on Thursday, in what is being described as a record breaking fundraiser.
Those in attendance coughed up $40,000 a ticket to show their support for Obama’s re-election bid.
According to the New York Times, filmmaker Jeffrey Katzenberg, the DreamWorks Animation chief who Clooney credited as the organizer, said the event raised almost $15 million, making it the most lucrative presidential fundraiser in history.
“Once again the entertainment industry has stepped forward in a very big way,” Katzenberg told the crowd.
Clooney's basketball court was transformed for the event with 14 round tables with 10 people at each. Among those who attended were Robert Downey Jr, Salma Hayek, Diane Von Furstenberg, Barbra Streisand, Billy Crystal, Tobey Maguire, Eddie Murphy, and Jack Black.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, when welcoming the A-list guests to his home, Clooney joked, "We have Iron Man, Spider-Man and Batman in the room. We should let the Secret Service take the night off."
Obama addressed the crowd shortly after 7pm and after thanking all those in attendance he told the crowd he had spotted his signature “Hope” poster, by Shepard Fairey in Clooney’s home.
“People don't realize that the photograph of me is actually me sitting next to George.”
He explained the photo had been taken at an event in which Clooney was advocating on behalf of Darfur.
“We struck up a friendship,” he said, adding, “This is the first time that George Clooney has actually been Photoshopped out of a picture. Never happened before, will never happen again.”
Obama added: "But the wonderful thing is the artist actually sent George -- some of you have seen this -- a print with my picture and his picture right next to each other with the same ... in the same format. Why he said at the bottom, 'Dope and Hope' I don't know. I don't think that's fair."
The president also spoke briefly about his announcement on Wednesday that he now personally supports gay marriage.
“Obviously, yesterday we made some news," Obama told the crowd to a big applause. "But the truth is, it was a logical extension of what America is supposed to be. It grew directly out of this difference in visions. Are we a country that includes everybody and gives everybody a shot and treats everybody fairly and is that going to make us stronger? Are we welcoming to immigrants? Are we welcoming to people who aren’t like us? Does that make us stronger? I believe it does. So that’s what’s at stake.”
6 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.KatieMurphy | May 22, 2012, 02:32 AM EDT
looks like we have a bunch of racist haters of Obama. I would think that IC could do better BTW every time you hear about socialist, communist, leftist etc you are hearing what the KKK used to hate black people in the 1920s.
BrianO | May 13, 2012, 11:26 PM EDT
obama income 2010- 5million plus--2011 just under 2 million, don't tell me he is the common man. Plus the perks of the presidency ie. free travel and free propaganda via the lame stream press.
shop tom | May 13, 2012, 02:34 PM EDT
Obama's biggest talent is spending other people's money. Combine this with his socialist agenda and his inability to understand economics, another 4 years with this fool will do irreparable harm to the US. Romney has far more usable real world experience than the CIC---Community organizer-In-Chief.
aloistmartin | May 12, 2012, 10:01 PM EDT
America is faced with a Choice between Parking Cars for Big Talk Big Money Democrats at the Local Pub: Or knuckling it down until the Tea Bagger`s justify the Greek Communist`s ! Romney/Daniels 2012
McNamara31 | May 12, 2012, 03:35 PM EDT
In 2007-2008, Romney spent $42 million of his money in that election. So far Romney has spent 100 million in the GOP primary fight. Since Obama wasn't born to privilege and riches I guess he has to do it the old fashion way ...raise it. It would be best for America to get the money out of the election process but until that day, campaigns know the realities that usually the one who raises the most wins. With the entrance of the millions from Citizens United this year, coming from the titans of corporate greed wanting to buy further deregulation the process of being elected has become that much harder. Politicians wind up representing corporate dollars instead of us.
shop tom | May 12, 2012, 12:27 PM EDT
That Obama can garner this kind of support from celebrities confirms that those celebrities understand little of how Obama's policies are harming and will continue to harm America.